Pau Gasol led Spain with 20 points as they pounded Croatia 72-59 in the Quarter Finals of Men's Basketball in Beijing Olympics 2008.
Spain used a 12-1 spurt in the 1st quarter to get ahead against Croatia in the early goings of the game. The never looked back in the next 3 quarters as they executed perfectly and shutdown Croatia on defense.
They are now in the Semi Finals and will take on the top seed of Bracket A Lithuania who just an hours ago eliminated the host team China to a lopsided 94-68 beating.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Monday, August 18, 2008
Spain tastes first defeat against the US
Spain fell into the hands of the Americans into a devastating 119-82 defeat. They will play their last game of the 1st round against the winless Angola.
Felipe Reyes led Spain with 19 points and LA Lakers Star Pau Gasol with 13. Spain was forced to a game high 28 turnovers and although they dominated the board and shot a good field goal percentage, it didn't matter as the Americans capitalized on every turnover that they made.
The video is available here. And for a limited viewers only because of a limited bandwidth.
Felipe Reyes led Spain with 19 points and LA Lakers Star Pau Gasol with 13. Spain was forced to a game high 28 turnovers and although they dominated the board and shot a good field goal percentage, it didn't matter as the Americans capitalized on every turnover that they made.
The video is available here. And for a limited viewers only because of a limited bandwidth.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Spain vs China: Olympic Video
Spain gets away against the Chinese Team in overtime 85-75. It was an escape to a big upset as the reigning world champion trailed by 14 points entering the 4th and final quarter.
Spain took over in the overtime after their star player Yao Ming has fouled out in the extra period.
You've come at the right place to see this basketball game between Spain and China. Due to limited bandwidth, we can only show you the 4th and overtime period which we hope is very much ok with you.
Important Note: This is not Youtube that has gazillion bandwidth. First come first view basis. The basketball game can't be posted at Youtube due to copyright claims of whoever.
Spain took over in the overtime after their star player Yao Ming has fouled out in the extra period.
You've come at the right place to see this basketball game between Spain and China. Due to limited bandwidth, we can only show you the 4th and overtime period which we hope is very much ok with you.
Important Note: This is not Youtube that has gazillion bandwidth. First come first view basis. The basketball game can't be posted at Youtube due to copyright claims of whoever.
Spain escapes China 85-75
Pau Gasol scored 29 points as reigning world champion Spain rallied for an 85-75 overtime victory Tuesday against Yao Ming and Olympic host China.
The Spanish will be glad to make some headlines for their on-court actions, having seen the pre-match build-up dominated by their insensitive team photo, which depicted the players making slit-eye gestures in reference to their Chinese opponents.
The teams traded baskets at the end of regulation before Spain pulled away in overtime for the win.
Spain, which trailed by 14 points at the end of the third quarter, tied the game at 70-70 on a basket by Juan Carlos Navarro with two minutes to play. But China then regained the lead on a jumper by Wang Zhizhi. Then Spain pulled even again at 72 on a fade-away jumper by Pau’s little brother, Marc.
At the start of overtime, Spain took a four point lead. With Yao, who fouled out in the extra session, on the bench and the rest of the China squad drained, the hosts crumbled after back-to-back jams by Pau Gasol. And the boisterous Chinese crowd that filled the 18,000-seat arena fell silent after having heartily booed every Spanish possession.
Rudy Fernandez scored 21 points to lead Spain. Guard Liu Wei led China with 19 points, Wang and Zhu Fangyu each added 15 and Yao finished with 11 points.
China capitalized on their size advantage at both ends of the court, with 7-foot-6 Yao of the Houston Rockets, 7-foot-0 Wang and 6-foot-11 Yi Jianlian of the New Jersey Nets.
Trailing 20-18 after the first quarter, China built a 46-39 lead at the half. But Spain stepped up its defensive pressure in the fourth quarter, forcing Yao to kick the ball back out when he did get it inside and creating turnovers that led to easy baskets.
The Spanish will be glad to make some headlines for their on-court actions, having seen the pre-match build-up dominated by their insensitive team photo, which depicted the players making slit-eye gestures in reference to their Chinese opponents.
The teams traded baskets at the end of regulation before Spain pulled away in overtime for the win.
Spain, which trailed by 14 points at the end of the third quarter, tied the game at 70-70 on a basket by Juan Carlos Navarro with two minutes to play. But China then regained the lead on a jumper by Wang Zhizhi. Then Spain pulled even again at 72 on a fade-away jumper by Pau’s little brother, Marc.
At the start of overtime, Spain took a four point lead. With Yao, who fouled out in the extra session, on the bench and the rest of the China squad drained, the hosts crumbled after back-to-back jams by Pau Gasol. And the boisterous Chinese crowd that filled the 18,000-seat arena fell silent after having heartily booed every Spanish possession.
Rudy Fernandez scored 21 points to lead Spain. Guard Liu Wei led China with 19 points, Wang and Zhu Fangyu each added 15 and Yao finished with 11 points.
China capitalized on their size advantage at both ends of the court, with 7-foot-6 Yao of the Houston Rockets, 7-foot-0 Wang and 6-foot-11 Yi Jianlian of the New Jersey Nets.
Trailing 20-18 after the first quarter, China built a 46-39 lead at the half. But Spain stepped up its defensive pressure in the fourth quarter, forcing Yao to kick the ball back out when he did get it inside and creating turnovers that led to easy baskets.
Spain crushed Greece 81-66
Rudy Fernandez scored a game-high 16 points and Pau Gasol added 11 to lead Spain to an 81-66 win against Greece Sunday in the Olympics opener for both teams.
In a rematch of the 2006 World Championship title game, which Spain won 70-47, was close through the second quarter. But Spain opened up a 16-point lead in the third period, 62-46, quieting the singing, bass drum-banging Greek fans who brought a little atmosphere to the 18,000-seat Beijing Olympic Basketball Stadium.
Greece could get no closer than 10 points the rest of the game and Spain held on the for comfortable win.
With former International Olympic Committee President Juan-Antonio Samaranch and tennis great Rafael Nadal watching from the stands, Toronto Raptors guard Jose Manual Calderon shot 63 percent from the field and finished with 13 points. Vasileios Spanoulis led Greece with 15 points.
In the Olympic tournament’s opening game, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-born Robert Holden scored a game-high 19 points to lead European champions Russia to a 71-49 win against Iran. Russia scored 19 unanswered points to take a 24-5 lead against the Asian champions in the first quarter.
Iran fought back and trailed by just eight points at the end of the third quarter. But the Iranian comeback lost steam in the final period as the Russians stretched their lead to a game-high 22 points.
Iran, led by Mohammad Nikkhah with 16 points, committed 22 turnovers.
“We don’t have much Olympic experience, but we gradually adapted to their style and played well in the second half,” said Iranian center Hamed Ehadadi, who had a game-leading eight rebounds.
Dallas Mavericks’ Dirk Nowitzki scored 23 points on 78 percent shooting as Germany overwhelmed Olympic rookies Angola 95-66. Los Angeles Clippers’ center Chris Kaman, who received his German citizenship just last month, led Germany with 24 points.
“I think we’re a good team. We’ll find out just how good on Wednesday, when we play Spain,” Kaman said after the game.
In a rematch of the 2006 World Championship title game, which Spain won 70-47, was close through the second quarter. But Spain opened up a 16-point lead in the third period, 62-46, quieting the singing, bass drum-banging Greek fans who brought a little atmosphere to the 18,000-seat Beijing Olympic Basketball Stadium.
Greece could get no closer than 10 points the rest of the game and Spain held on the for comfortable win.
With former International Olympic Committee President Juan-Antonio Samaranch and tennis great Rafael Nadal watching from the stands, Toronto Raptors guard Jose Manual Calderon shot 63 percent from the field and finished with 13 points. Vasileios Spanoulis led Greece with 15 points.
In the Olympic tournament’s opening game, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-born Robert Holden scored a game-high 19 points to lead European champions Russia to a 71-49 win against Iran. Russia scored 19 unanswered points to take a 24-5 lead against the Asian champions in the first quarter.
Iran fought back and trailed by just eight points at the end of the third quarter. But the Iranian comeback lost steam in the final period as the Russians stretched their lead to a game-high 22 points.
Iran, led by Mohammad Nikkhah with 16 points, committed 22 turnovers.
“We don’t have much Olympic experience, but we gradually adapted to their style and played well in the second half,” said Iranian center Hamed Ehadadi, who had a game-leading eight rebounds.
Dallas Mavericks’ Dirk Nowitzki scored 23 points on 78 percent shooting as Germany overwhelmed Olympic rookies Angola 95-66. Los Angeles Clippers’ center Chris Kaman, who received his German citizenship just last month, led Germany with 24 points.
“I think we’re a good team. We’ll find out just how good on Wednesday, when we play Spain,” Kaman said after the game.
Spanish Basketball Team Credits
Their biggest achievement was winning the 2006 FIBA world championship. On September 3, 2006, Spain won the gold medal against the Greek national team. The game, held in Saitama, Japan, ended with a final score of 70-47. This marked the first time the Spanish national basketball team won the gold medal in the World Championships.
Pau Gasol was named the tournament MVP, and Jorge Garbajosa also made the All-Tournament team.
Spain hosted the 2007 Eurobasket. At this competition, the same 12 players that won the 2006 World Championship in Japan made it through to the final. This increased expectations for the Spanish national team to become the first national team to win the first Eurobasket held right after having won the previous FIBA World Championship. However, they were defeated by the Russian national basketball team. Spain, thus took the silver medal.
Pau Gasol was named the tournament MVP, and Jorge Garbajosa also made the All-Tournament team.
Spain hosted the 2007 Eurobasket. At this competition, the same 12 players that won the 2006 World Championship in Japan made it through to the final. This increased expectations for the Spanish national team to become the first national team to win the first Eurobasket held right after having won the previous FIBA World Championship. However, they were defeated by the Russian national basketball team. Spain, thus took the silver medal.
Controversial Olympic Pose
The Spanish National Team posed with the players making slit-eye gestures in reference to their Chinese opponents. This is racism! What the heck they were thinking?
Spain's Basketball Federation has published a good luck advert for their men's team, the world champions, in which they stand pulling at the sides of their eyes in a slit-eyed gesture.
There is no obvious intention to upset their Olympic hosts in Beijing, but the irresponsible picture is likely to cause controversy and could be interpreted so as to lead to accusations of racism.
Spanish sport has been mired in rows over racism in the last few years. In November 2004 black English footballers were subjected to relentless racial barracking from home supporters in a match in Spain. Before the World Cup there were calls for Luis Aragones, then Spain's football coach, to be sacked after he called Thierry Henry a "black shit". And last year Lewis Hamilton suffered racist abuse during testing for the Spanish grand prix near Barcelona.
Spain's Basketball Federation has published a good luck advert for their men's team, the world champions, in which they stand pulling at the sides of their eyes in a slit-eyed gesture.
There is no obvious intention to upset their Olympic hosts in Beijing, but the irresponsible picture is likely to cause controversy and could be interpreted so as to lead to accusations of racism.
Spanish sport has been mired in rows over racism in the last few years. In November 2004 black English footballers were subjected to relentless racial barracking from home supporters in a match in Spain. Before the World Cup there were calls for Luis Aragones, then Spain's football coach, to be sacked after he called Thierry Henry a "black shit". And last year Lewis Hamilton suffered racist abuse during testing for the Spanish grand prix near Barcelona.
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